toxic relationship, relationship counseling, couples therapy, hoboken therapist, jersey city therapist, marriage counseling, nj therapist, nyc therapist, premarital counseling
Courtney Glashow
How To Tell If You’re In A Toxic Relationship

When you are in a healthy relationship, it naturally functions well. Of course, like any couple, you may have disagreements from time-to-time or there may be some hard times, but you band together no matter what. You are able to make major life decisions together, discuss problems once they occur, and genuinely enjoy spending time with one another.

On the other hand, you have toxic relationships. In a toxic relationship, the ‘norm’ is feeling drained and unhappy after spending time with your partner. This should be a major red flag that some things need to change.

You may still love your partner, but the relationship does not seem enjoyable. Maybe minor issues turn into full-blown arguments or you always seem to provoke one another. It may even get so severe that you dread spending time with your partner instead of getting excited to see them, like you were in the past.

Continue reading this blog to see if your relationship is toxic, and some guidance on how to navigate a toxic relationship.

How To Tell If You’re In A Toxic Relationship
Intergenerational Trauma, trauma counseling, jersey city therapist, hoboken counseling
Courtney Glashow
Disney’s Encanto: How It Got Intergenerational ...

Disney has a way of exploring heavier life topics that can help children and the 2021 film Encanto is no exception. Movies like Inside Out and Soul also assist children in exploring heavier aspects of life, such as emotions, trauma, consciousness, and even death. Encanto joins the long list of children’s movies that have a deeper message.

Disney’s Encanto offers a multigenerational story about a grandmother and her family who have been endowed with magical gifts. The Madrigal family lives in a hidden village in Colombia. While each family member does their best to live up to their reputation and help others in the community, the facade slowly begins to crumble figuratively and literally in the house that all three generations share.
Not only do people love this movie because of its catchy soundtrack, including the famous song “We don’t talk about Bruno”, but people also love it because of its exploration of generational trauma.

Disney’s Encanto: How It Got Intergenerational Trauma Right
control issues, mental health blog, jersey city therapist, hoboken counseling
Courtney Glashow
7 Ways to Let Go of Control Issues

Do you have a hard time going with the flow? Do you have to follow a schedule or routine at all times? Do you try to control other people in your life? If you are dealing with control issues, it is likely that you feel like you must exert power over your life, relationships, and general environment. In some cases, this exertion of power may extend to the life of other people.

Control can simply be defined as exerting influence or power over the environment, actions, and behaviors of yourself or another person. There are many reasons why you may feel like you need to be in control, such as insecurities or fear of the unpredictable. At times, your need for control may become overwhelming and tiring, causing chaos in your career, relationships, and your overall quality of life.

7 Ways to Let Go of Control Issues
couples therapy, hoboken counseling, jersey city therapist, mental health blog, nyc counselor, relationship counseling
Courtney Glashow
8 Tips for Dealing With A Narcissist

While some people may be quick to throw the word “narcissist” around, it is important to remember that there is a distinction between someone being self-centered and unsympathetic, and someone who has Narcissistic Personality Disorder. Many people may have what doctors call narcissistic characteristics, such as feeling entitled or having a strong sense of self-importance. People who have narcissistic personality disorder may be challenging to deal with.

The first step to determine your dynamic with someone who you think is a narcissist is to know the difference between someone with narcissistic tendencies and someone with Narcissistic Personality Disorder.

8 Tips for Dealing With A Narcissist
trauma counseling, nyc counselor, nj therapist, jersey city therapist, hoboken counseling
Courtney Glashow
How to Heal Childhood Trauma as an Adult

When you think of a child, you probably imagine a young person who is resilient and fast-moving. These traits may cause you to believe that situations do not leave a lasting impact on children’s emotional health; however, that is not the case. If left unsolved, your emotions that came from a traumatic experience as a child can live in your subconscious mind. This will continue to affect you until you detect, process, and solve it. In order to heal childhood trauma as an adult, you have to learn how to process painful emotions.

A healthy way to respond to childhood trauma occurs right after the trauma has taken place. When the trauma occurs, you recognize that it is an offense to yourself. Afterward, you would feel your emotions and acknowledge the fact that the offense does not dictate anything about you personally. In other words, you do not make a negative meaning out of what occurred. Generally, it is rare for people to react in this manner.

This process is not automatic. Certain emotions, like rage and unhappiness, are difficult to express. On top of that, some cultures may view this outpouring of emotions to be socially unacceptable. Therefore, this causes many people to suppress their emotions. For a kid, this process is even more burdensome. For instance, someone may comment on a child’s weight or a part of their body which can cause a long-lasting inner dialogue to occur in the kid’s head, creating body dysmorphia. While this can happen to adults as well, it may be easier for an adult to push aside outside commentary in comparison to a child.

How to Heal Childhood Trauma as an Adult

Mindfulness Therapy Page

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Feeling Stressed and Anxious in College? Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) Can Help

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Feeling Stressed and Anxious in College? Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) Can Help

The pressures that college students face can be extremely overwhelming. As a college student, you may be balancing many aspects of life all at once. Attempting to balance a healthy social life while putting copious amounts of time and effort into good grades can get tricky. Don't forget the financial challenges coupled with living independently and trying to maintain emotional and physical health. Among all of these hardships, students reportedly face the most anxiety when it comes to academics. 

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Everything You Need To Know About Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT)

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Everything You Need To Know About Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT)

When you are mindful, you are aware of your thoughts, feelings, and emotions. At the same time, you are also able to assess your environment, surroundings, and situations without automatic responses, such as passing judgment or increasing your stress levels. 

In Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy, also known as MBCT, a MBCT therapist incorporates mindfulness techniques into your counseling sessions. 

Some mindfulness practices include:

  • Present Moment Awareness:

    When you pay close attention to the sensations and perceptions you are feeling in your body, and clear the mind of any worries and judgements. 

  • Meditation:

    When you focus your mind on a particular object, thought, or occurrence to hone in attention and awareness so you can achieve a mentally and emotionally clear state. To learn more about meditation, check out our past blog “How Meditation Can Lead To Stress Reduction.” 

  • Breathing Exercises:

    Simple breathing exercises can help you reduce stress and make you less anxious. A common breathing exercise is the 4-7-8 method, also referred to as the relaxing breath since it helps tame your nervous system. To perform this breathing exercise, you close your mouth and inhale through your nose to a mental count of four. Then, you hold your breath for a count of seven. Finally, you exhale through your mouth for a count of eight. 

MBCT teaches you how to be in the present moment. It also teaches you how to remove yourself from negative thought patterns that can cause a decline in your mood.

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How To Manage A Panic Attack

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How To Manage A Panic Attack

The truth is that panic attacks are scary. They can hit you quickly and, in some cases, it may appear that there is nothing “triggering” your panic attack. When you are in the midst of a panic attack, you may feel like you are completely out of control and/or having an outer body experience. It is not uncommon for people to think that they are having a heart attack or even dying when a panic attack strikes.

Some people have one to two panic attacks during their lifetime and they go away on their own. Most of the time, these panic attacks may occur during a particularly stressful time in one’s life. However, recurrent and largely unexpected panic attacks may be a sign of a more serious issue, such as a panic disorder. Another important sign to gauge your severity is if you are consistently afraid of having another panic attack. If you live in fear of panic attacks and are constantly awaiting the next one, it is recommended that you seek guidance from a professional.

Panic attacks themselves are not life-threatening; however, they can be scary and interfere with your life, whether it is becoming increasingly more difficult to maintain friendships and relationships or difficulty concentrating on tasks at work. In any case, treatment can help!

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5 Healthy Ways to Cope With PTSD

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5 Healthy Ways to Cope With PTSD

Post-traumatic stress disorder, also known as PTSD, is a mental health condition that is characterized by a particular, terrifying event. This event can be either experienced first-hand or witnessed.

PTSD symptoms can start within one month of a traumatic event occurring; however, there are cases where symptoms appear years after the event took place. PTSD symptoms typically cause serious problems in both your social and professional lives. The symptoms can impede your ability to complete common daily tasks.

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The Top Reasons Why You Should Practice Mindfulness

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The Top Reasons Why You Should Practice Mindfulness

Do you need to clear your mind? Do you find it difficult to focus on one thing? If so, you might benefit from learning about mindfulness.

Mindfulness is our ability as humans to be fully aware and present of our current situations. When we are aware of where we are and what we are doing, it helps us not overreact or be overwhelmed by external circumstances. Regardless of your location or state of mind, mindfulness can help you center yourself and bring you back to a state of calmness. Everyone has access to mindfulness; you just need to know how to cultivate it.

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How Meditation Can Lead To Stress Reduction

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How Meditation Can Lead To Stress Reduction

As the COVID-19 pandemic is slowly coming to a halt and safety precautions are being lifted, people are returning to their pre-pandemic lives. The embrace of packed schedules can unfortunately create stress. A lot of people are feeling stressed during these times, particularly with work or school-related stress.

Some stressful life events may include:

  • Job loss

  • Starting a new job

  • Moving

  • Death of a loved one

  • Major illness or injury

  • Divorce

  • Marriage

  • Retirement

  • Transitioning to adulthood

  • Pregnancy

Broadly, stress can be described as a change that creates physical, emotional, or psychological tension. To help ease your worries, you can turn to meditation. Meditation is the active practice of training your concentration and awareness to achieve a clear and serene mental and emotional state.